The Independent Policing Oversight Authority is calling for the implementation of a wide range of recommendations in an effort to ensure gains on police reforms are not watered down or erased together.
Fair distribution of finance, regular review of the police training curricula, and provision of adequate resources like stationery are some of the inadequacies noted after the Authority tracked the implementation of recommendations it has made in the past.
It also calls on the Inspector General of Police to continually enforce disciplinary measures against police officers who do not comply with the law while carrying out their duties.
This follows a survey conducted last year and cited in the recently published report; IPOA Performance Report January – June 2022.
The survey – conducted in two phases across 76 police stations in Kenya – looked into recommendations made to the National Police Service over the years.
These stations are located in nine counties including Nakuru, Mombasa, Isiolo, Meru, Nyeri, Nairobi, Kisumu, Kakamega, and Uasin Gishu.
Section 30 of the IPOA Act requires the Authority to produce a performance report on its functions every six months, with details that would include among others, recommendations made to relevant authorities including the NPS.
The report thus revisits matters contained in earlier reports, especially where the action was not taken on the recommendations made, in the first place.
IPOA consistently keeps a record of recommendations it makes to the National Police Service and the Inspector General, among other entities, with the aim of tracking down the implementation process.
In the period covered, the Authority commissioned the survey which revealed that fifty-nine (59) percent of its recommendations to the police were effected and has now called for full implementation.
However, despite failing to achieve full implementation, the survey also shows the reform process is not off-track.
The Performance report notes in part: “The average baseline score for implementation of recommendations made by IPOA as of January 2022 stood at 59%. This is a positive indication of the impact the Authority is making in enhancing the professionalism of the service through its function of Inspections of Police Premises, detention facilities, and monitoring of police operations.”
Section 6(k) of the IPOA Act, requires the Authority to make recommendations to the National Police Service or any state organ.
Besides carrying out investigations, IPOA also enhances professionalism within the Service through the Inspection of Police Premises, and detention facilities, and monitoring of police operations, some of the exercises whose results generated the findings of the survey.
